Event Planning

The Event Purpose

A well executed event is based on good planning, especially of the menu. Start with the reason for hosting the event. Your reason usually suggests the menu, if not the budget. Consider other major menu influences: the season, the budget, the venue, known allergies, length & style of service.

Common Corporate Activities

New product launches

Customer appreciation

Employee days

Company picnics

Warehouse sales

V.I.P. visits

I.S.O. approval

I.P.O. success

Christmas & retirement parties

Shareholder meetings

Labour negotiations

Merger talks

Sales & budget meetings

Sponsored sporting events

Charity fund raisers

Political rallies

Constituency affairs

Policy think tanks

Corporate retreats

Trade show booths

Hospitality suites

Corporate tents

With an event purpose and other factors in mind a basic idea of the event menu and budget will emerge.

How We Can Help
From the initial event planning to the final guest departure and the post event wrap-up Special Events Catering is committed to you and your event. We make you look heroic. We provide a wide variety of services, accessories, experience and more to make your event successful and memorable. Here's some of what we offer:

Rather do it on your own?
Even if we're not helping you with the planning of the event, and are simply working from behind the scenes to provide your guests with delicious food and quality entertainment, we still want to help you. There are many important factors and ideas to keep in mind when planning an event, so we've developed some tips and questions to help you make sure your event runs smoothly, professionally, and successfully.

Focusing Your Event

Give your event one single subject. Few successful events are multi-purpose, so don't mix a new product launch with a customer appreciation dinner at Christmas.

Restrict your guest list on the basis of relevance.

Rather than inviting more guests and treating them casually, invite fewer guests to be treated as V.I.Ps.

Pick an event theme & stick to it. Relate the decor to menu and location. Keep entertainment and decorations in proportion and in good taste.

Restrict information handouts to the most important issues. The event should give them more to do than read for an hour. Even at a seminar, the less information received, the more it is remembered.

Scheduling Your Event

Decide first when you want the event to end.

Work backwards from the end time to fit in all proposed activities.

Can you fit in everything? What can you cut?

Is your schedule so long it's boring, or so crowded with activity that no one will remember important parts?

Make allowances for travel time from one part of the event to another, for breaks between events, & other schedule eaters.

Will your event overlap meal times? Is a caterer required?

Allow more time for young children to pass through exhibits but have shorter attention spans.

Will your event conflict with another special event such as a national holiday, the Super Bowl, the Stanley Cup, or the Academy Awards?

If the event is outdoors, will the time of year or time of day require lighting, wind protection, heaters, shade, or cold beverages?

Discipline guest speakers - even visiting V.I.Ps. Make sure they know what is expected, etc.